This invention generally relates to waste processing systems and, more particularly, to waste processing systems which containerize shredded hazardous material in a controlled environment.
Environmental concerns and government regulation make the disposal of hazardous materials a complex task. With the amount of available landfill space rapidly decreasing, it is necessary to maximize the amount of material stored per unit volume in a landfill. In addition, such space limitations have made burning of toxic or hazardous material in incinerators, client kilns or rotary reactors an acceptable alternative. Burning of hazardous materials in a controlled, high temperature environment appears to be a relatively safe method of disposing of such material, since the complex molecules of the hazardous material are broken down into less harmful constituents.
Since such landfills and incinerator facilities typically are remote from the source of toxic or hazardous material, it is necessary to load such material in containers, such as drums, in a manner which minimizes leakage of material to the ambient and transport the drums to such landfills or incinerators.
There exist systems which reduce the size of hazardous material prior to burning in an atmosphere which is controlled to prevent leakage to the atmosphere and unintended combustion of the material handled. Such systems are connected to feed incinerators, such as rotary reactors, or the shredded material can be fed into containers for further disposal. However, these systems lack an efficient mechanized system in which the shredded material can be placed into containers in a controlled atmosphere.
Accordingly, a need exists for a container feed system in which shredded hazardous material is containerized in a controlled atmosphere which minimizes leakage to the ambient and the likelihood of unintentional combustion, and which is automated to eliminate human handling and exposure to the contents of the waste material containers.